Stretch yarn and fabric and method of making same



STRETCH YARN AND FABRIC AND METHOD oF MAKING SAME Filed oct. :51, 1955 M. H. COMER Jan. 15, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 /00 DEN/Ee A/YLo/v 51km 1 Dol/51.50

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INVENTOR ATTORNEY Jan, 15, 1957 M. H. COMER STRETCH YARN AND FABRIC AND vMETHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed Oct. 31, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m O mn @E mM ATTORNEY United States Patent O STRETCH YARN AND FABRIC AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Marvin H. Comer, Burlington, N. C., assigner, by mesne assignments, to Alamance Industries, Inc., Burlington, N. C., a corporation of North Carolina Application October 31, 1955, Serial No. 544,049

42 Claims. (Cl. 66-180) This invention relates to composite or multi-ply yarns and, more especially, to an improved predominately cotton stretch yarn and the method of producing same as well as to a novel stretchable fabric made from the yarn.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved composite yarn comprising one or more cotton strands loosely lcurled or twisted around one or more synthetic thermoplastic stretchable strands resulting in a yarn which has the appearance and feel of cotton and which has substantial -stretchable characteristics.

It is another object of this invention to provide a stretchable fabric made from the Iimproved composite yarn which has the appearance and feel, as well as the light weight, of a fabric made only from cotton material and which has substantial stretchable characteristics.

Cotton yarns and fabrics produced therefrom have many desirable characteristics as compared to synthetic thermoplastic monoilament or multi-filament yarns or other silk-like yarns in that cotton fabric is of light weight, is easily dyed, has a soft hand and feel and has more body than a light weight fabric produced from silk-like yarns.

As is well known, there has been a heavy demand, in recent years, for synthetic thermoplastic yarns and the resultant fabrics produced therefrom, particularly in the knitting industry, due to the successful development of processes for imparting stretchable characteristics to synthetic thermoplastic yarns or, at least, to the socks or stockings produced from these especially treated thermoplastic yarns. From a sales standpoint, however, particularly in the warmer regions, there is a much heavier demand for light weight cotton socks than there is for socks made entirely from synthetic thermoplastic yarns or entirely from wool yarns even though prior attempts to render cotton yarns and the resulting fabrics stretchable have not been effective due to the characteristics of cotton fibers. While stretchable socks made from nylon or other synthetic thermoplastic yarns Ahave generally proved extremely popular, they have not been so popular in the lighter weights since it is difficult to control the stretch properly and kmost of such socks have too much stretchability.

The nature of the invention will be better understood as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is an elevation of the composite yarn generally, showing the relationship of the cellulosic yarn to the synthetic yarn; 4 y

Figure 2 i-s an elevation of one form of composite yarn;

Figure 3 is an elevation of another form of composite yarn;

Figure 4 is a side elevation Yof a mans sock constructed in accordance with the improved method;

Figure 5 is a greatly enlarged view of a portion of fabric, such as that area defined by the broken lines and indicated at 5 in Figure 4, showing the embossed or ICC crinkled appearance of the fabric as produced from the improved yarn.

By combining cotton yarn with stretch nylon yarn or other stretchable synthetic thermoplastic yarns, according to the present method, there is produced a compostte yarn which may lor may not be made predominately from cotton but which, in either event, is predominately cotton in weight, feel and appearance, ,Fabric knit or woven from composite yarn of this character is light weight and has all the desirable features of light weight cotton fabric with the additional stretchable char acteristics peculiar to fabrics produced solely from stretchable nylon yarn or other twisted synthetic thermoplastic yarns. Also, the resultant fabric has more body and is of lighter weight than stretchable fabrics made solely from nylon or other synthetic yarns and the -stretchability thereof is reduced as compared to the stretchability of fabrics knit yor woven from synthetic thermoplastic yarns. This i-s a highly desirable feature from the standpoint of wear.

The stretchable synthetic thermoplastic yarns are preferably of the so-called super twisted type wherein multifilament strands are twisted and then set and then untwisted and possibly plied with additional multi-lament y One end of 16 count cotton is dyed and given seven turns of Z-tWist per inch (left-hand twist). This end of cotton yarn is then plied (Figure 2) with two ends of l0() denier nylon stretch yarn which ends have been dyed in muffs (loosely wound packages) and subsequently doubled at three and one-half turns of S-twist per inch (right-hand twist). It should be noted that each of the ends of denier nylon yarns are, prior to being doubled, subjected to a twisting and heat-setting process so that each nylon yarn has a latent twist or torque and inherent stretchable properties. The individual 100 denier nylon stretch yarns may be treated according to the socalled Helanca, Agilon or Brooks processes as disclosed in patents, such as Nos. 2,019,183; 2,019,185; 2,564,245; 2,585,518; 2,679,739 and others. The one end of cotton and the two ends of nylon stretch yarn are then plied and wound onto cones or bobbins during the course of which two and one-half turns of S-twist are imparted to the composite yarn thus formed. During the plying or doubling of the previously plied nylon stretch yarns with the cotton yarn, three and one-half percent oil (Nopoco No. 1056A) in proportion to the weight of the yarn is applied to the yarn to insure proper lubrication of the yarn during subsequent knitting and to assist in eliminating static electricity.

[t will be noted that the cotton yarn in the above example is dyed separate from the nylon stretch yarn which places this composite yarn in the category of dyed yarn. Dyed yarns are used in knitting fancy fabrics, such as argyle socks wherein the sock has variegated areas there- Example II parted thereto during the doubling operation (Figure 3).

After the twofends of l=denier nylon stretch yarn have been. doubled,` theyy are,- in turn, doubled oru plied with one end of 80 count cotton yarn to which 16 turns per inch of Z-twist have been previously imparted and, during the doubling or plying` of` the twof endsol nylon-4 stretch yarn with the single end of cotton yarn, two'and one-half turns of S-twist per inch are imparted to the compositeyarn thus formed in the courseof' which the composite yarn is also,Y subjected to` three and-t one-half percent oil in proportion to` the!v weighthof` the yarn. `lt will be noted that the cotton and nylon stretch yarn of this example are not dyed and are, therefore, placed in the category of thenatural yarns. Natural yarns are used in the knitting of white or solid color socks so the op,- eration of dyeing the yarns individually is notrequired, since. the` resultant fabric knit from the natnralyarns may be dyed after the` knitting process, it merely being necessary that the particular dye stuff usedhave an aftinityfor both nylon or` othersynthetic stretch yarn and thc` cotton yarn.

ln impartingl the nal twist to the plied yarns in both examples, the end of cotton yarn .in each instance wraps around the nylon stretch yarn. Heretofore, it has been customary, in wrapping elastic or rubber yarn around a cotton or synthetic yarn, forexample, to pass one of the strands through a hollowr rotating spindle while bypassing the spindle with the otherof the strands oft'yarn.

However, in the present instance, the wrap-around effect is eiciently produced through the use of conventional accurately controlled tensioning devices wherein the cotton yarn is maintained at an average of live grams lesser ten# sion than that in Vthe nylon or synthetic thermoplastic stretch yarn during the final plyingtor doubling operation.

The relative amounts of twist imparted `in the cottony and nylon stretch yarns prior to the doubling of the yarn informing a composite yarn as well as accurate control of the tension in the two yarns is important in order to properly balance'the resultantcomposite yarn and, accordingly, to prevent spiraling or coiling of the finished fabric but, more especially, in order toprevent the piling up of the yarn at the knitting wave of the knittinglmachine. This is` an extremelypertinent problem since it` is apparent that, infeedingthe yarn into the knitting machine, if the cotton yarn,- which is wrapped around the nylon or synthetic thermoplastic yarn, does not have the same pullingk force thereon as the nylon, it would then tend to back up as the nylon feeds into the machine so that it would subsequentlyfpile up as it reached the needles.

A substantial number. of composite yarns may be made in accordance with the present invention from two or more ends of cotton yarn and nylon stretch yarn in which the cotton yarn may range in count from No. 12/ 1 to No.

ply stretch yarn may have a denier of from 50/2 to D/2 and the single ply stretch yarn may have a denier of from SO/l to 30D/l. It mightbe stated here that the denition of the cotton yarn indicated at 12/ 1, for example, means that the cotton yarn has a count of l2 and that one` strand of the cotton yarn is used while the denition of 50/ 2 for the nylon stretch yarn, for example, indicates that the` yarn is of 50 denier and includes two strands of nylon stretch yarn which have been plied or doubled.

Examples of other dyed composite yarns made according to the present invention are as follows:

(a) One end of 100 denier nylon stretchyarn is dyed after which three and one-half turns of S-twist per inch is imparted thereto, one end of /1 cotton yarn is dyed and sixteen turns of Z-twist perA inch is imparted thereto and then the two ends of cotton yarn and nylon stretch yarn are plied or. Vdoubled during which two and one-half turns of S-twist per inch is imparted to the composite yarn thus formed while `the yarn is subjectedto approximately three androne-,half percent oilin proportion to. the weight of` the yarns (b) One end of l0() denier nylon stretch yarn is dyed in--rnutrl form-aftenwhichthree and one-half turns ofS- twist per inch is imparted thereto and this yarn is then doubled or plied with a single end of /1 cotton yarn which has been previously dyed and to which 16 turns of Z-twist per inch have previously been imparted and during the plying or doublingvof the two cotton and nylon yarns, two andone-half turns of S-twist per inch is imparted thereto during which the composite yarn thus formed is also subjected to approximately three and onehalf percent of oil in' proportion to the weight of the composite yarn.

(c) One end of lOOdenier nylon stretch yarn is dyed in muform and' subjected to` three and one-half turns of S-twist per inch, one end of /1 cotton yarn is dyed and 16 turns of ztwist per inch are imparted thereto, the two ends of cotton and nylon yarn are then doubled or plied while two and one-half turns of S-twist per inch is imparted thereto and during which the composite yarn thus formed-is; alsosubjected to oilfor lubricating the same as lheretofore stated.

Various other natural `yarns which have been produced according to the present method are as follows:

((1); Two'ends'of 100 denier nylon stretch yarn are plied`together0r= doubled while two and one--half turns ofv S-twist pertinchare` imparted thereto, one end of /1 cotton yarnhaving 16 turns of Z-twist per inch is then plied with the two ends of nylon stretch yarn while imparting two and one-half turns of S-twist per inchto the composite yarn thus formed and while sub jectingtheyarn to oil for lubricating the same.

(b)'One-end of 14/1 cotton yarn having 7 turns of Zatwistperinchpreviously imparted thereto is doubled or plieduwith one Send 'of 100 denier nylon stretch yarn to which two and one-half turns of S-twist per inch have previously beenimparted and, during the latter plying or doublingioper'ation, two and one-half turns of S-twist is impartedytothe compositeyarn thus formed while oil is applied,` thereto.

(c) One end of 80/1 cotton yarn to which 16 turns of Z-twistfper*inch-thavel been imparted, one end of 70 deniernylon stretchfyarn to which ltwo and one-halt turns of Ztwist per inch hasbeen imparted and one end or" 70'deniereny1on stretch'yarn to which two and ono-halt' turns of S-`twistper inch has been imparted are all plied together during which two and one-half turns of S-twist perinch;istin'ipartedjthereto and during which the cornposite yarn thus formed is subjected to oil for lubricating thea-same,

A furtherex-pergiment-has been-made in which one end of-SO/fl cotton-yarn (untwisted) has been plied with one end of y denier ynylon-stretch yarn. Also, in another instance, oneend1fof-#60/ 1 cotton yarn (untwisted) has beenpliedwith one end `of 100`denier `nylon stretch yarn. In the latter twol instances, it should be noted that the nylon stretch-yarn has-not been twisted other than the twisting-operationswhich are normally necessary during the previous formation of the stretch yarn. The latter twoA compositcryarnsnecessarily have an unbalanced twist which will cause `spiraling ofthe resultant product woven therefrom. v

ln order to'counteract this spiraling elfect, a No. 40/1 cotton yarn was used to eliminate the back twist of the nylon which would obviously eliminate spiraling of the fabric., Inysome instances, it has been found that the spiraling effect of the nylon stretch yarn `can be eliminated byaddi,ng twist to the cotton, without imparting any additional twist in either direction to the nylon stretch yarn, which balances against the back twisting of the nylon stretch yarn.

Althougha nylon stretch yarn is set forth in each of the aforementioned examples of the improved composite yarn, itis to be understood ythat the invention is not limited to ny1on but includes other-types of synthetic thermo plasti'cmultiflament or monolament yarns treated by crimping, curling or twisting and characterized by a latent torque, curl, coil or spiral which either before or after knitting or weaving therefrom or both has stretchable characteristics. Also, although cotton yarn is specifically referred to in the claims and in the various embodiments of the improved yarn, it is to be understood that cotton, being a :cellulosic yarn, may be substituted by other cellulosic yarn such as acetate and rayon.

lt is apparent that the direction of twist may be in the opposite direction from that described in each instance in each embodiment of the improved yarn disclosed herein.

The mans hose or sock shown in Figure 4 is illustrative of one of the many different fabrics whichmay be produced from the improved yarn according to the present invention. The sock shown in Figure 4 may be knit entirely from the improved yarn, it may be of a single color throughout, or white, or it may be variegated areas knit from different colored yarns. In this instance, the sock includes a welt or top which is preferably knit from the yarn of the present invention with an elastic or rubber yarn laid in the stitches thereof in the usual manner.

The stocking or sock also includes la leg 16 which is shown as being knit in 'anArgyle pattern -wherein the various rectilinear areas are 'defined by diagonal lines 17, 18. The lines 17, 18 may be formed as wrap strips or they may be in the form of sutures at the junctures of adjacentl rectilinear areas Iand wherein some of said rectilinear areas may be knit of different colored yarns than others and wherein the different colored yarns are made according to the present process. The sock or stocking in Figure 4 also includes the usual heel 20, foot 21 and toe 22 which :are knit in a conventional well known manner and which are preferably knit from one ormore embodiments of the improved yarn.

The illustration in Figures 5 shows a portion of the fabric ias it actually 'appears and wherein the cotton yarn is indicated at 12, the stretch yarn is indicated at 11 and the composite yarn formed by wrapping the cotton yarn 12 around the stretch yarn 11 is indicated broadly at 10. Because of the :cotton yarn 12 being loosely wrapped around the stretch yarn 11, the cotton yarn 12 stands out at randomly spaced areas or fat portions of most of the stitches so as to produce an embossed or glazed effect in the finished fabric or so the finished fabric has a pleasingly rough texture and has the hand, feel and appearance of cotton fabric, although a substantial percentage of the fabric is formed from the stretch yarn 11.

It is thus seen that I have provided an improved composite yarn and method of making the same wherein the composite yarn is formed from pretwisted fcotton and stretchable synthetic thermoplastic yarns which have been plied or doubled in a novel manner to wrap the cotton yarn around the thermoplastic stretch yarn and rwhich yarn and the fabric knit or woven therefrom has the hand, feel and appearance of cotton yarn with substantial stretchable characteristics.

In the drawings and specification there have been set forth preferred embodiments of the present invention and, although specific termsare employed, they fare used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the inventionbeing defined in the claims.

I claim:

l. That method of making :a composite stretch yarn which includes twisting at least one end of cellulosic yarn a rel-atively few turns per inch in one direction, twisting at least one end of pre-treated stretch thermoplastic yarn of from 50 to 300 denier a substantially lesser number of turns than, and in the opposite direction from, the turns imparted to the cellulosic yarn, and then doubling the cellulosic and thermoplastic yarns While imparting a lesser number of vturns per inch thereto than was originally imparted to the cellulosic yarn.

2. A knitted fabric knit with the composite yarn formed according to the method of cla-im l.

3. That method of making a composite stretch yarn from cellulosic yarn and continuous filament thermoplastic yarn which has been twisted, heat-set. and then untwisted which includes ltwisting at least one end of said cellulosic yarn a relatively few turns per inch in one direction, twisting at least one end of said thermoplastic yarn ka substantially lesser number of turns than, and in the opposite direction from, the turns imparted to the cellulosic yarn, and then doubling the cellulosic and thermoplastic yarns while imparting a lesser number of turns per inch thereto than was originally imparted to the cellulosic yarn, but a suiicient number of turns to loosely wrap the cellulosic yarn around the thermoplastic yarn .and while maintaining the cellulosic yarn under approximately 5 grams lesser tension than the tension in the thermoplastic yarn. f

4. A knitted fabric knit with the composite yarn formed according to the method of claim 3.

5. That method of making a composite stretch yarn from cotton yarn and continuous filament thermoplastic yarn which has been twisted, heat-set and then untwisted which includes twisting at least one end yof said cotton yarn a relatively few turns per inch in one direction, twisting at least `one end lof said thermoplastic yarn a substantially lesser number of turns than, and in the opposite direction from, the turns imparted to the cotton yarn, and then `doubling the cotton and thermoplastic yarns while imparting a lesser number of turns per inch thereto than was originally imparted to the cotton yarn, but -a sutlicient number of turns to loosely wrap the cotton yarn around the thermoplastic yarn while maintaining the cotton yarn under less tension than the tension in the thermoplastic yarn.

6. A knitted fabric knit with the composite yarn formed according to the method of claim 5.

7. That method of making a composite stretch yarn from cotton yarn and continuous filament thermoplastic yarn which has been twisted, heat-set and then untwisted which includes twisting yat least one end of said cotton yarn a relatively few turns per inch in one direction, twisting at least :one end of said thermoplastic yarn a substantially lesser number of turns than, and in the opposite direction from, the turns imparted to the cotton yarn, and then doubling the cotton and thermoplastic yarns while imparting a lesser number of turns per inch thereto than was originally imparted to the cotton yarn, but a sufficient lnumber of turns to loosely wrap the cotton yarn around the thermoplastic yarn and while maintaining the cotton yarn under approximately 5 grams lesser tension than the tension in the thermoplastic yarn.

8. A knitted fabric knit with the composite yarn formed according to the method of claim 7.

9. That method of making a composite stretch yarn having a predominately cotton texture and appearance which includes twisting at least one end of cotton yarn having a count -of from l2 to 80 a relatively few turns per inch in one direction, twisting at least onek end of nylon yarn of from. 50 to 300 denier, which has previously been processed to induce stretch characteristics therein, a substantially lesser number of turns than, and in the opposite direction from, the turns imparted to the cotton yarn, and then doubling the cotton and nylon yarns while imparting .a lesser number of turns per inch thereto than was originally imparted to the cotton strand.

l0. A knitted fabric knit with the composite yarn formed according to the method of claim 9.

l1. A method of making a composite stretch yarn which includes twisting a cotton yarn, having a count of from l2 to 80, up to 20 turns per inch in la first direction, twisting at least one end of previously treated synthetic thermoplastic stretch yarn approximately one half the number of turns imparted to the cotton y-arn per inchiand in the opposite direction from said irst direction, and then plying the cotton yarn with the synthetic thermoplastic ystretch yarn While imparting approximately the same number of turns of twist thereto as was imparted to the synthetic thermoplastic stretch yarn and in the same ldirection as the synthetic thermoplastic stretch yarn to produce a composite yarn having a predominately cotton feel and appearance.

12. A knittted fabric knit with the composite yarn formed according to the method of claim ll.

13. A method of making a composite stretch yarn which includes twisting a cellulosic yarn, having a count of from 12 to 80, up to 2O turns per inch in a first direction, twisting at least one'end of previously treated synthetic thermoplastic stretch yarn of from 50 to 300 denier approximately one half the number of turns im-y parted to the cellulosic yarn per inch and in the opposite direction from said rst direction, and then plying the cellulosic yarn with the synthetic thermoplastic stretch yarn while imparting `approximately the same number of turns `of twist thereto as was imparted to the synthetic thermoplastic stretch yarn and in the same direction as the synthetic thermoplastic stretch yarn.

14. A stretchable fabric knit with the composite yarn formed according to the method of claim 13.

l5. A composite stretch yarn comprising one end of cotton material having a given relatively few turns of Z-twist per inch imparted thereto, two ends of nylon material previously treated so that each end has inherent stretchable characteristics and which have subsequently been plied at substantially less than said given few turns of twist per inch and in .an S-twist, and all three ends being plied and twisted at approximately the same number of turns of S-twist per inch as that at which the two ends of nylon are twisted.

16. A stretchable fabric knit with the composite yarn according to claim 15.

17. A yarn according to claim 15 wherein the cotton material is approximately sixteen count, dyed and the given few turns is approximately seven, wherein each end of nylon material is approximately one-hundred denier, dyed and the two ends of nylon material are plied at approximately three and one-half turns per inch, and wherein all three ends are plied at approximately two and one-half turns per inch.

18. A stretchable fabric knit with the composite yarn according to claim l7.

19. A composite yarn according to claim l5 wherein the cotton material is approximately eighty count, said given few turns is approximately sixteen, wherein each end of nylon material is approximately one-hundred denier and the two yends of nylon material are plied at approximately two and one-half `turns per inch, and wherein .all three ends are plied at approximately two `and one-half turns per inch.

20. A stretchable fabric knitted from a composite stretch yarn formed according to the method of claim 19.

2l. A composite stretch yarn formed from a twisted cellulosic strand, at least one strand of nylon stretch yarn twisted a lesser number of turns per inch, than the cellulosic strand, following the twist inserted therein during the formation of the stretch yarn, and being twisted in the opposite direction from that of the cellulosic strand, and the cellulosic strand and nylon yarn being intertwisted a relatively few turns per inch in the same direction in which the nylon yarn was last twisted prior to the intertwisting of the cellulosic strand and the nylon yarn.

22. An improved stretchable fabric knit with a composite yarn according to claim 2l.

23. A composite stretch yarn comprising one end of cotton having from 5 to 2() turns of Z-twist per inch therein and being from l2 to 8O count size, at least one end of stretch synthetic thermoplastic strand material having a size of from 50 to 300 denier and having from 8 Zero to 4 turns of S-twist per inch therein independently of the twist inserted in the stretch yarn during the process involved in the forming of the stretch yarn, and the ends of cotton and stretch synthetic thermoplastic strand material being intertwisted approximately two and onehalf turns of S-twist per inch.

24. An improved stretchable fabric knit with the composite yarn according to claim 23.

25. A composite stretch yarn comprising one end of cotton having from 5 to 2O turns of S-twist per inch therein and being from l2 to 80 count size, at least one end of stretch synthetic thermoplastic stretch yarn having a size of from 50 to 300 denier and having from zero to 4 turns of Z-twist per inch therein independently of the twist inserted in the synthetic stretch yarn during the process involved in the forming of the synthetic stretch yarn, and the ends of cotton and synthetic thermoplastic stretch yarn being intertwisted approximately two and one-half turns of Z-twist per inch.

26. An improved stretohable fabric knit with a composite yarn according to claim 25.

27. A composite stretch yarn comprising one end of cellulosic material having from 5 to 20 turns of twist per inch therein in one direction and being from 12 to 80 count size, at least one end of synthetic thermoplastic strand material having inherent stretch characteristics and having a size of from 50 to 300 denier and also having from zero to 4 turns of twist per inch in the opposite direction from said one direction, independently of any twist inserted in the thermoplastic material during the process involved in inducing said inherent stretch characteristics therein, and the ends of cellulosic material and synthetic thermoplastic strand material being intertwisted approximately two and one-half turns per inch in said opposite direction.

28. An improved stretchable fabric knit with a cornposite yarn according to claim 27.

29. A composite stretch yarn comprising one end of cotton having from 5 to 2O turns of twist per inch therein in one direction and being from l2 to 80 count size, at least one end of stretch nylon having a size of from 50 to 300 denier and having from zero to four turns of twist per inch therein in the opposite direction from the cotton and independently of the twist inserted in the stretch nylon during the process involved in inducing stretch characteristics in the nylon, and the ends of cotton and stretch nylon being intertwisted approximately two and onehalf turns per inch in said opposite direction.

30. A stretchable fabric knit with the composite yarn formed according to claim 29.

3l. A composite stretch yarn comprising one end of cotton material having from 5 to 20 turns or" Z-twist per inch imparted thereto, two ends of nylon previously treated so that each end has inherent stretchable characteristics, said two ends of nylon being plied together at from 2 to 4 turns of S-twist per inch, and all three ends being plied together at approximately two and onehalf turns of S-twist per inch.

32. .A stretchable fabric knit with the composite yarn formed according to claim 3l.

33. A composite stretch yarn comprising one end of approximately eighty count cotton material having approximately sixteen turns of Z-twist per inch imparted thereto, two ends of approximately seventy denier nylon material previously treated so that each end has inherent stretchable characteristics and each of which has approximately two and one-half turns of twist per inch imparted thereto independently of the other and wherein each of the nylon ends is twisted in the opposite direction from the other, and all three ends being plied and twisted at approximately two and one-half turns of S-twist per inch.

34. An improved stretchable fabric knit with a com posite yarn formed according to claim 33.

35. A composite yarn comprising one end of approximately fourteen count cotton having approximately seven turns of Z-twist per inch therein nterwisted at approximately two and one-half turns of S-twist per inch with one end of approximately one-hundred denier nylon stretch yarn which has been previously twisted .at approximately two and one-half turns of S-twist per inch.

36. An improved stretchable fabric knit with a composite yarn formed according to claim 35.

37. A composite stretch yarn comprising one end of dyed cotton yarn having a size of from 40 to 60 count and also being twisted approximately 16 turns of Z-twist per inch and being loosely intertwisted at approximately two and one-half turns of S-twist per inch with one end of approximately 100 denier dyed stretch nylon yarn to which approximately three and one-half turns of S-twist per inch has been imparted subsequent to the processing of the nylon yarn to give it stretch characteristics.

38. An improved stretchlable fabric knit with a composite yarn formed according to claim 37.

39. A composite stretch yarn comprising `tw-o ends of approximately 100 'denier thermoplastic stretch material plied together at two and one-half turns of S-twist per inoh and being plied with a single lend of 80 count ootton previously twisted 'approximately 16 turns of Z-twist per inch and the two ends of stretch material being plied 10 with the single end of cotton material at approximately two and one-half turns of S-twist per inch.

40. An improved stretchable fabric knit with a composite yarn formed according to claim 39.

41. A composite stretch yarn comprising one end of No. 80 count cellulosic material having approximately 16 turns of Z-twist per inch, two ends of approximately 70 denier synthetic thermoplastic stretch material, each of the two ends of stretch material having approximately two and one-half turns of twist per inch therein with one end yof the stretch material being twisted in one direction and the other end of stretch material being twisted in the other 'direction and the two ends of stretch material being plied with the cellulosic material at approximately two and one-half turns of S-twist per inch.

42. An improved stretohable fabric knit with a composite yarn formed according to claim 41.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Robbins Aug. 2, 1949 Leath et al June 28, 1955 

1. THE METHOD OF MAKING A COMPOSITE STRETCH YARN WHICH INCLUDES TWISTING AT LEAST ONE END OF CELLULOSIC YARN A RELATIVELY FEW TURNS PER INCH IN ONE DIRECTION, TWISTING AT LEAST ONE END OF PRE-TREATED STRETCH THERMOPLASTIC YARN OF FROM 50 TO 300 DENIER A SUBSTANTIALLY LESSER NUMBER OF TURNS THAN, AND IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION FROM, THE TURNS IMPARTED TO THE CELLULOSIC YARN, AND THEN DOUBTING THE CELLULOSIC AND THERMOPLASTIC YARNS WHILE IMPARTING A LESSER NUMBER OF TURNS PER INCH THERETO THAN WAS ORIGINALLY IMPARTED TO THE CELLULOSIC YARN. 